Michael T. Philbin was last heard from around 2 a.m. Sunday and was reported missing Sunday night, according to Oshkosh, Wis., Police spokesman Joseph Nichols.

Michael Philbin

The elder Philbin, 50, has been an assistant with Green Bay since 2003. Members of the family contacted by The Republican on Monday declined to comment.

Michael Philbin had traveled from his home in Ripon, Wis., to Oshkosh to meet friends, Nichols said. They went out together Saturday evening, but when the group decided to move on to another establishment Michael Philbin apparently chose to stay behind, he said.

Philbin made a cellphone call to one of his friends at 2 a.m. but didn’t say where he was, Nichols said. Philbin did not sound as if he was under duress or suffering from any medical issues and the call ended amicably, Nichols said.

But he never returned to get his car on Sunday and never tried to contact anyone, prompting the call to police, Nichols said.

Police said the body of a man between 20 and 25 was pulled from the river Monday afternoon. A spokesman said they would not publicly identify the man until Tuesday.

But ESPN Wisconsin and the NFL Network reported that Green Bay players were informed that the body pulled from the river was Michael Philbin. Several Packers players also wrote about Philbin on Twitter.

“As children we all have to someday say goodbye to our parents, but a parent should never have to say goodbye to their child,” said offensive lineman T.J. Lang, whose father, Thomas, died last week according to ESPN.

Packers defensive lineman B.J. Raji wrote, “life is too short.”

“Live in the present,” Raji tweeted.

In Green Bay, the Packers are preparing for Sunday’s NFC divisional playoff game against the New York Giants at Lambeau Field.

Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy spoke in a somber tone during his regularly scheduled news conference, confirming that Philbin was away from the team and in Oshkosh.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Philbin family during this difficult time,” Packers general manager Ted Thompson said in a statement.

Michael Philbin was sentenced to six months in jail in 2009 after he was convicted of sexually assaulting two young girls.